Erik ten Hag was always a stickler for a footballing cliché and was known to remark, “You’re only as good as your last game.”
The powers that be at Manchester United took that sentiment a little too literally for the Dutchman, finishing late Ten Hag’s time in charge after a dreadful 2-1 defeat by West Ham United on Sunday.
If an observer had to judge Have Hag after each performance, his opinion of the United manager would have swung dramatically from one extreme to the other. This, after all, is a manager who won his first trophy at the club a week before falling to a record defeat at home to their fiercest rivals.
While there will be many who question the success of Ten Hag’s time at Old Trafford, there is no doubt that it was full of ups and downs.
Final of the 2023 Carabao Cup
Ten Hag was always quick to point out the pieces of silver he won for Manchester United – and for good reason. Before a somewhat anticlimactic 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the 2023 Carabao Cup final, the Red Devils had not won a trophy in almost six years, dating back to Jose Mourinho’s Europa League capture 2017
The former Ajax boss was spotted happily bouncing around the Wembley pitch with Antony and Lisandro Martinez in celebration of their time together in Amsterdam. Ten Hag, who wore a thoughtful look more often than any other expression, rarely showed so much emotion during the remaining 18 months of his stay in Manchester.
FA Cup classic
It played like a reckless, carefree, end-of-the-season kind of game, United’s bonkers 4-3 win over Liverpool in the 2024 FA Cup quarter-finals will live long in the memory of those in Manchester and beyond.
Confused hosts Ten Hag ended the contest with Bruno Fernandes in the center and Antony on his left in an improvised defense. United had taken the lead on ten minutes before Jurgen Klopp’s visitors went two ahead before the break. Antony, though in an advanced position, forced extra time with an 87th-minute equalizer. Harvey Elliott fired Liverpool ahead but United hit back, equalizing through Marcus Rashford, ahead of the winner in minute 121 by Amad Diallo.
Even the normally stone-faced Ten Hag admitted it was “a lot of fun to be a part of.”
FA Cup Final 2024
On the eve of United’s trip to Wembley Stadium for the 2024 FA Cup Final, several respected outlets informed that Ten Hag would be fired after the show. The Red Devils had endured theirs the lowest result in the Premier League (eighth) and were framed as rank outsiders in a final against Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Manchester City.
But Ten Hag led the best performance of his entire United tenure. A brave front four canceled the Premier League champions and provided the platform for United to race into a deserved 2-0 lead before the interval. Jeremy Doku’s 87th-minute goal was little more than a consolation as United held on for a famous win and Ten Hag hung on to their job.
Brentford batting
Ten Hag’s tenure wasn’t even two games old when the first cracks emerged. United went down 4-0 to bottom side Brentford in the first 35 minutes of their visit in August 2022.
The disgusted Dutch coach later revealed: “Earlier I saw one of our players shake his head and say with a sigh: ‘It’s too hot to play football’.” Ten Hag was particularly incensed by the difference in distance traveled between the two sides. The hard-working hosts racked up eight miles more than their neon-clad visitors, who were ordered by the manager to make up for the deficit in laps at United’s training ground on their day off.
Demolition on derby day
Had it not been for a late brace from Anthony Martial, Ten Hag’s first Manchester derby would have been even more humiliating. So losing 6-3 at the Etihad wasn’t exactly a huge positive.
the first Bayern Munich The coach of the second team had been dubbed ‘mini Pep’ during his time in Bavaria given the similarities between the two technicians. But the real Pep rose in October 2022, orchestrating a dismantling of his counterpart as two goals from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden gave City a 4-0 half-time lead. Both completed their hat-tricks in the second half, prompting the Etihad to roar greedily: “We want ten!”
Historic defeat against Liverpool
Just seven days after lifting the Carabao Cup, Ten Hag was hanging in shame after overseeing United’s heaviest defeat Liverpool. The Reds only led by a single goal at half-time but ruthlessly took advantage of their opponents’ impressive implosion over the next 45 minutes.
Luke Shaw’s blind rage, Bruno Fernandes’ barge at the assistant referee and the Ten Hag’s slow retreat into his shell were played out against the backdrop of Sky Sports’ bare-knuckle commentary.
Former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher laughed audibly in the wake of each goal and couldn’t resist a sneaky dig at Gary Neville after the seventh strike. The former United skipper’s mask of professionalism slipped momentarily as he whistled to his team-mate: “Make one.”
